“This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.” (Ezra 7:10, NLT)
In Old Testament times, there was a period in which everything went wrong. Sin had captured the minds and hearts of the people of Israel and Judah. The inevitable result was that God gave them over to their sin, stopped protecting them, and even stopped listening to their prayers. Not long after, war enveloped the land, people suffered greatly, hunger became commonplace, and many people of Israel and Judah became slaves or paupers.
Then, everything changed.
The prophet Nehemiah went to Israel and urged the people to return to faith in God. The faithful responded to the prophet, started rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, and began the reconstitution of biblical living in and around Jerusalem. At the same time, God sent the priest, Ezra, to the people of Israel. Ezra believed wholeheartedly in God. He acknowledged their sins in the previous decades and asked the people to repent for their idolatries.
Today’s scripture is a declaration of what made Ezra a holy man. Ezra was “determined” to reclaim a true faith in God among the people of Israel. He started the process within himself. Ezra 7:10 defined Ezra’s motivation in three ways. Ezra was “determined to study” God’s law. He was determined to “obey the Law of the Lord”. Finally, the scripture declares that Ezra “taught those decrees and regulations” in the law of the Lord to the people of Israel. This three-fold action by Ezra not only made him holy before God, it caused the people of Israel to find God as well.
For you to be holy before God, this three-fold action must form the basis of your will. You must be determined to 1) study God’s word, 2) obey the Law of God, and 3) teach the faith to others. Many people, even lifelong Christians, fail in this pursuit to holiness.
Some do not “study” God’s word. They might read the Bible for pleasure or listen to the preacher expound on scripture, but they never take the time to “study” God’s word. They don’t dedicate time and effort to learning the Bible, understanding its premises, and plumbing its wisdom. They might read a scripture, but they never make the effort to understanding how it relates to everyday life or what it says about the character of God. They might even memorize scriptures, but the scriptures are merely familiar words instead of treasures of wisdom.
Some do not obey the law of God. They might know the Ten Commandments, but they do not live out their meaning. It is not enough to know what the scripture says; you must learn to obey its meaning in everyday life. You need to respect God enough to follow the teachings of the gospel. AND… you should not only obey those scriptures that suit you. You don’t get to pick and choose which scriptures are relevant to your life. All God’s word has bearing on how you live!
Finally, some do not teach the faith to others. You can teach others what to believe in many ways. You might teach others by living a holy life. Your example will reflect the level of your faith in God. You may teach in a Sunday School, instruct others by being an elder or deacon, or mentor another person in how to believe. When you are a faithful follower of Jesus, God will constantly put people around you who need to learn how to live faithfully. They will need guidance. They will need to learn how to apply God’s word in their everyday world. All faithful and holy Christians learn to teach others what it means to love God in Christ Jesus!
Which of these three actions is your strength? Are you good at studying God’s word? Do you obey God’s calling? Are you a good teacher of the faith? Which of these areas is God looking to improve in you?
Thomas Becket was not born a holy man. He was the son of a crusader and a princess, born in London in 1118. He grew up well off. He had tailored clothes, a famous heritage, and wealth. His good looks caused women to swoon over him. His commanding presence and leadership abilities made him a chancellor of England, the highest civil office in the country, by the young age of 37. He was a favorite friend and ally of King Henry II.
In 1162, King Henry appointed Thomas Becket to the highest religious office in England: Archbishop of Canterbury. After taking the post, Becket began to change. The more he studied the Bible, the more he was convinced to change his life. He gave up his wealth. He stopped wearing expensive tailored clothing. He began to preach and teach others the truth of the Bible. He was known for spending hours in prayer each week. The more Becket began to be serious about his relationship with God, the worse his relationship with Henry II became. Becket spoke out against the excesses of the crown. He chastised Henry II for loose living and for causing injustices to proliferate in England.
Because Becket chose to be completely faithful to Almighty God, even at the expense of his relationship with King Henry II, his life was cut short. Four knights murdered him. However, to this day, Becket is revered as a holy man who was ultimately faithful to God. There are places in England where the name of Thomas Becket evokes a solemn response of respect.
Every one who seeks to be holy, to be closer to God, and to be faithful must work through the three actions spoken of in the scripture for today. Like Ezra before us, we need to recommit ourselves often to 1) the study of God’s Word, 2) obedience to God, and 3) teaching faith to others. I pray you work diligently at each of these three parts of your faith-life. They will not make your life easy, but they will make you a powerful force for God!
Then, everything changed.
The prophet Nehemiah went to Israel and urged the people to return to faith in God. The faithful responded to the prophet, started rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, and began the reconstitution of biblical living in and around Jerusalem. At the same time, God sent the priest, Ezra, to the people of Israel. Ezra believed wholeheartedly in God. He acknowledged their sins in the previous decades and asked the people to repent for their idolatries.
Today’s scripture is a declaration of what made Ezra a holy man. Ezra was “determined” to reclaim a true faith in God among the people of Israel. He started the process within himself. Ezra 7:10 defined Ezra’s motivation in three ways. Ezra was “determined to study” God’s law. He was determined to “obey the Law of the Lord”. Finally, the scripture declares that Ezra “taught those decrees and regulations” in the law of the Lord to the people of Israel. This three-fold action by Ezra not only made him holy before God, it caused the people of Israel to find God as well.
For you to be holy before God, this three-fold action must form the basis of your will. You must be determined to 1) study God’s word, 2) obey the Law of God, and 3) teach the faith to others. Many people, even lifelong Christians, fail in this pursuit to holiness.
Some do not “study” God’s word. They might read the Bible for pleasure or listen to the preacher expound on scripture, but they never take the time to “study” God’s word. They don’t dedicate time and effort to learning the Bible, understanding its premises, and plumbing its wisdom. They might read a scripture, but they never make the effort to understanding how it relates to everyday life or what it says about the character of God. They might even memorize scriptures, but the scriptures are merely familiar words instead of treasures of wisdom.
Some do not obey the law of God. They might know the Ten Commandments, but they do not live out their meaning. It is not enough to know what the scripture says; you must learn to obey its meaning in everyday life. You need to respect God enough to follow the teachings of the gospel. AND… you should not only obey those scriptures that suit you. You don’t get to pick and choose which scriptures are relevant to your life. All God’s word has bearing on how you live!
Finally, some do not teach the faith to others. You can teach others what to believe in many ways. You might teach others by living a holy life. Your example will reflect the level of your faith in God. You may teach in a Sunday School, instruct others by being an elder or deacon, or mentor another person in how to believe. When you are a faithful follower of Jesus, God will constantly put people around you who need to learn how to live faithfully. They will need guidance. They will need to learn how to apply God’s word in their everyday world. All faithful and holy Christians learn to teach others what it means to love God in Christ Jesus!
Which of these three actions is your strength? Are you good at studying God’s word? Do you obey God’s calling? Are you a good teacher of the faith? Which of these areas is God looking to improve in you?
Thomas Becket was not born a holy man. He was the son of a crusader and a princess, born in London in 1118. He grew up well off. He had tailored clothes, a famous heritage, and wealth. His good looks caused women to swoon over him. His commanding presence and leadership abilities made him a chancellor of England, the highest civil office in the country, by the young age of 37. He was a favorite friend and ally of King Henry II.
In 1162, King Henry appointed Thomas Becket to the highest religious office in England: Archbishop of Canterbury. After taking the post, Becket began to change. The more he studied the Bible, the more he was convinced to change his life. He gave up his wealth. He stopped wearing expensive tailored clothing. He began to preach and teach others the truth of the Bible. He was known for spending hours in prayer each week. The more Becket began to be serious about his relationship with God, the worse his relationship with Henry II became. Becket spoke out against the excesses of the crown. He chastised Henry II for loose living and for causing injustices to proliferate in England.
Because Becket chose to be completely faithful to Almighty God, even at the expense of his relationship with King Henry II, his life was cut short. Four knights murdered him. However, to this day, Becket is revered as a holy man who was ultimately faithful to God. There are places in England where the name of Thomas Becket evokes a solemn response of respect.
Every one who seeks to be holy, to be closer to God, and to be faithful must work through the three actions spoken of in the scripture for today. Like Ezra before us, we need to recommit ourselves often to 1) the study of God’s Word, 2) obedience to God, and 3) teaching faith to others. I pray you work diligently at each of these three parts of your faith-life. They will not make your life easy, but they will make you a powerful force for God!